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1/18/2015 10:23 pm  #11


Re: Exodus Overview

Chapter 11
Podcast
11:3 - Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people.

Moses acted in his own strength and failed. He was humbled by 40 years in Midian. He was so humble that he lacked confidence that God could act through him. Yet God lifted him up and God enabled and strengthened him and then he became great.

Humble yourself beneath the mighty hand of the Lord and in due time He will lift you up. 1 Peter 5:6

11:9 - Pharaoh will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.

Pharaoh initially rejected God’s authority and sovereignty and even goes on the active attack against God in Chapter 5. So God will harden his heart so that even when he has clearly been licked, he still will not repent. God will use this to show His power and authority.

In our society we have been given numerous opportunities to honor and serve God. The book of Romans speaks of this. As we continue to reject God’s authority in our lives and refuse to serve and honor Him, there can be a time when He will no longer quicken our heart to respond to Him and our hearts will be hard to the voice and leading of the Lord.

Reflect on if you need to get serious about surrendering your life, and will to God and giving Him the authority in your life . For private reflection, is there an area where you are ignoring the conviction of the Holy Spirit?

Last edited by TBG (1/18/2015 10:30 pm)

 

1/18/2015 10:29 pm  #12


Re: Exodus Overview

Exodus 12
Podcast

The Passover is a foreshadow of the sacrifice of Christ and how the resurrection paid for our sins. Just as God allowed death and judgment to pass over the Passover houses, God passes over our sins through the blood of Jesus.

- The lamb had to be a male in its prime and without blemish (Exodus 12:5). Jesus was in His prime when He was slain, and He was without blemish. Many relate the word “unblemished,” in this instance, to only mean “sinless.” But it can be physical as well as sinless. (Observations from John MacArthur)

- Placing the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe would be in the motion of the cross
- Bitter herbs represented hard times in Egypt
- Yeast represents sin. We must come to the Lord's table with clean heart. Hebrews 11:26-30

The Passover lamb was not a once and final payment; it had to be repeated each year. Yet the sacrifice of Christ was once and for all.

God Passes over Our Sins through the Blood of Jesus
Our sins were forgiven the day Jesus, the sacrificial lamb, was crucified and His blood covered all mankind.

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.” (1 Peter 1:18-20).

Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. (1 Corinthians 5:7)

Key Verses:
12:27-28 Then all the people bowed their heads and worshiped. So the people of Israel did just as the LORD had commanded through Moses and Aaron.
Compare and contrast this response from the people to their earlier responses.

12:31-32 Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron during the night. "Leave us!" he cried. "Go away, all of you! Go and serve the LORD as you have requested. Take your flocks and herds, and be gone. Go, but give me a blessing as you leave.
Pharaoh rejected God’s authority in his life yet still wants a blessing. How do we see this play out in our society?

Last edited by TBG (1/18/2015 10:32 pm)

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1/18/2015 10:35 pm  #13


Re: Exodus Overview

Exodus 13
Podcast

13:8-9 During these festival days each year, you must explain to your children why you are celebrating. Say to them, 'This is a celebration of what the LORD did for us when we left Egypt.' This annual festival will be a visible reminder to you, like a mark branded on your hands or your forehead. Let it remind you always to keep the LORD's instructions in your minds and on your lips. After all, it was the LORD who rescued you from Egypt with great power."

The Israelites were to remember God’s salvation by celebrating the Passover each year. We are also called to remember God’s salvation through the crucifixion of Christ by commemorating communion. Note how important it was to take time to actively remember God’s work and salvation. Note how important it was to share God’s work and faithfulness with the children. How can we apply this to our lives?

Key Verses
13:17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, "Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt."

13:21-22 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.

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1/20/2015 11:45 am  #14


Re: Exodus Overview

Exodus 14
Podcast

14:11 Then they said to Moses, "Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt?
 
How do we respond when our back is up against the wall?  Do we really trust that God can deliver us? What does that deliverance look like?  Does it mean we will always be healed from a serious illness? We will always receive financial abundance?  Or does it mean God will deliver us according to His will, for His purpose in our lives and the next life?  Colossians 3
 
God showed his mighty works so that people would believe and honor Him.
14:18 Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen."
 
How did the Egyptians respond vs the Israelites? How do some in our society respond differently to the conviction and truth of God?
 
14:31 Thus Israel saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt; so the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and His servant Moses.

Key Verse
14:13-14 And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace."

Last edited by TBG (1/20/2015 11:50 am)

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1/25/2015 12:15 am  #15


Re: Exodus Overview

Exodus 16
Podcast

I see the theme of obedience in this chapter.
 
Our Way or God’s Way
16:2-3 And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness,  and the people of Israel said to them, "Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."
 
Yet Exodus 2:23 states: During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.
 
They cried out for help, then did not like the help offered.  How do we do this?  How often to you seek God’s help and guidance and then become upset, because you don’t like how He is leading, or you don’t like His answers and His solutions?  We instead want Him to act in the way we want or expect.
 
Follow His Instructions
16:4 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.
 
God gave them daily bread – This is to help people develop God dependency not self sufficiency.  I always think I would rather just know how everything will happen or why I have to go through trial.  But I think God wants to teach us to depend on Him and not ourselves.
 
How did the people respond to God’s test for obedience?
Verse 19-20: And Moses said, "Let no one leave any of it till morning." Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them.
 
Verse 27 says: On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none.
 
So people failed the test.  They did not obey God.  We always think we can skirt the rules and we justify our disobedience. “I am sure it will be fine, there is manna on the ground every morning, I am sure I can find some on the Sabbath” “I am just going to save a little extra, I am sure it will be fine for just one day.  I just want to make sure that I have enough.  What if there is not any manna tomorrow, besides I may not feel like going out to gather it.”
 
Key Verse
16:8 Also Moses said, "This shall be seen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the Lord hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the Lord.

Last edited by TBG (1/25/2015 12:39 am)

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1/25/2015 12:17 am  #16


Re: Exodus Overview

Exodus 17
Podcast

Lack of Trust
17:3 And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, "Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?"  Then in verse 7 they ask, "Is the Lord among us or not?"
 
What an astonishing lack of trust.  God showed them such mighty miracles, the parting of the Red Sea, the pillar of fire and cloud, the Passover, manna, etc.  Yet they so quickly lost faith in God’s ability to sustain. 
 
Why is it hard for us to believe that God will act for us in this world? Yes, we will have trials in this world.  God does not promise us a kingdom of this world, but that His kingdom is still yet to be fully fulfilled. But does that mean that we do not expect God to every help us in our journey in this life?
 
Psalms 27: 13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. (NKJV). 27:14 Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD! (ESV)
 
I don’t know that I could make it in this life unless I was confident that God would be with me and that God was good and that I would see His goodness in my life. 
 
Again, this is not a statement that indicates we will be protected from having trials or that we will be removed from difficulties, struggles or tragedy.  Nevertheless, it is a statement that, no matter what I go through in life, God will be with me in the middle of the fire, and He will carry me even if I have to go through the storm.  But, He is good and I will see His goodness and His redemption in my life.
 
John 10: 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
 
I will tell you this that with Christ when times are the worst I have more joy and peace than my best times, when I had everything the world says you could want, but was not walking with Christ and was miserable.  So, no matter the trials, struggles and pain, I have true life, real life, eternal life and abundant life in Christ.
 
Key Verse
17:15 And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The LORD Is My Banner

After winning the battle, Moses says that the Lord is his banner.  When you march under a person or King’s banner, it indicates marching or fighting under that person’s standard (in their name or on behalf of them). It indicates being under that person’s authority, protection, covering and ownership.

 

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1/25/2015 12:19 am  #17


Re: Exodus Overview

Exodus 18
Podcast

In this chapter we see Moses getting overwhelmed with responsibility and his father-in-law calling him out on this.
 
Sometimes in Christian work we think we have to do everything. I am not sure you said this quote, it may have been C.S. Lewis, but is says that if Satan cannot make you sin he will make you busy. 
 
We obviously need to prioritize Christian service so we can serve the body of Christ, reach out to unbelievers, and be God’s agent here on earth. But we need to not get so busy that we forget to spend intimate one on one time in the Word and in prayer. 
 
This chapter also underscores the importance of selecting people of character to be our leaders.
Verse 21 states: Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
 
Key Verses
18:2-4 Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back, along with her two sons. The name of the one was Gershom (for he said, "I have been a sojourner in a foreign land"),  and the name of the other, Eliezer (for he said, "The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh").
 
What does this tell us about what Moses thought while living in Midian?
 

Last edited by TBG (1/25/2015 12:37 am)

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1/27/2015 4:35 pm  #18


Re: Exodus Overview

Exodus 19
Podcast (large file - make take time to download)

Treaty
19:4-8 “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.  Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.” So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before all these words that the Lord had commanded him. All the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do."
 
God is executing a treaty or conditional covenant with the Israelites.  This is not the covenant that God makes with Abraham.  That is an unconditional covenant to make a great nation and to save all of mankind from his lineage.  That will happen regardless of man’s response.  That is not conditioned on the obedience of Israel.  But this is a promise to blessing to Israel which is conditioned on their actions.
 
This treaty has 4 parts: historical evidence to establish ability to execute (verse 4), stipulations of conditions (verse 5a), promises and blessings or the deliverables (verses 5b-6a), acceptance of terms or ratification (verse 8).
 
What are the stipulations in this treaty? What are promises? How does this compare to the covenant that God makes with believers after the resurrection of Christ? Examine Hebrews 8:6-10, Hebrews 10:14-18.

The new covenant is a better covenant, with better promises. This treaty tells them to obey and they will be a treasured people.  The new covenant says that God will put and write His laws in our hearts and minds. He will no longer call to mind our sins. Then He will be our God and we will be His people.
 
Look at the promises in verses 5 and 6.  Are there any similarities between these designations and how God describes the New Covenant church?  Read 1 Peter 2:9.
 
1 Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called out of darkness into His marvelous light who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
 
God’s Holiness
Exodus 19:12 And you shall set limits for the people all around, saying, 'Take care not to go up into the mountain or touch the edge of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death.
 
We cannot be in God’s presence or come before Him because His holiness would destroy us because of how sinful we are. He cannot look on sin and not judge.  But, the blood of Christ covers our sin and justifies us.  Which means God now sees us just as if we were clean and pure and holy – so now we can approach God boldly through the blood of Christ.  Hebrews 4:16 says we can come boldly before a throne of grace, not a throne of judgment, and we will receive mercy at that throne.  The Israelites had God with them but we have God in us in the person of the Holy Spirit.

Last edited by TBG (1/27/2015 4:54 pm)

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1/27/2015 4:49 pm  #19


Re: Exodus Overview

Exodus 20
Podcast (large file - make take time to download)

Are you good? Do you think you are good?
 
Romans 3:10-12 reads: None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.
 
Do you bristle when you read that?  Does that make you uncomfortable to think of yourself in this way?
 
Many of us think we are basically good people.  No.  Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you are a good person.  You are not.  You are guilty of the law and have broken the law, if not outright, then in your heart.
 
Do you think you don’t break the 10 Commandments?  Well Jesus said He did not come to do away with the law, but to fulfill the law.  So instead of outward acts of obedience, the fulfillment of the law is inward purity. So, what we harbor in our hearts makes us as guilty as if we act on them. 
 
So you have not committed adultery, if you have looked on someone in lust you are just as guilty (Matthew 5:28). You have never murdered anyone, but have you been unjustly angry at someone, maybe because of your own pride or desires, then you are in danger of judgment (Matthew 5:21-22).
 
James 2:10 reads: for whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. So all have sinned – all have missed the mark.  We have not met God’s standard of righteousness.
 
Therefore, since we are guilty before the law and before God, we are in need of the pure and perfect sacrifice of Christ to cover our sins.  It is not us who are holy, but God who imputes (ascribe or assign) His holiness to us. 
 
Now, since Christ has covered our sins, is the Ten Commandments relevant to us?  What does it matter if we sin since He has paid the penalty?  Paul addresses this in Romans chapter 6. If we are truly born again in Christ then we would be dead to sin and we would walk in God’s truth.  We will still miss the mark (Philippians 3:12-14), but we need to daily be pressing on to holiness and dying to our own desires so that God can continue to transform us into the image of Christ.
 
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments are organized into two groups: our relationship to God (commandments 1-4), and our relationship to others (commandments 5-10).
 
We want to look at two of the commandments: the first, and the third.
 
The first commandment states that we should have no other gods before God or, in other words, besides God.  All idols stand in opposition to the true God. 
 
Romans 1:25 says that people worship the creation rather than the creator.  We are the creation.  In our society, we may not worship idols carved out our wood, but we worship ourselves as idols.  We have idols or pleasure, money, position, leisure, materialism, approval, acceptance, and self. 
 
How do you put yourself over God?  How do you subjugate God’s will to your own will? How do you seek to serve those things you idolize while not committing to fully serving God?
 
The third commandment states: You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain (ESV).  The NLT reads, Do not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.
 
How serious does God take it when people take His name in vain?  How then should we feel when His name is taken in vain?  How should this impact what we are willing to voluntarily listen to and watch?  Should we wink at the taking of God’s name in vain?
 
Key Verses
Exodus 20:3, 20:7
 

Last edited by TBG (1/27/2015 4:57 pm)

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2/01/2015 10:52 pm  #20


Re: Exodus Overview

Chapters 21-25

The Law

The Ten Commandments were moral laws.  They deal with things God finds to morally appropriate or inappropriate.  But, Israel was also a nation.  So, there were civil laws that oversaw how the people dealt with civil and secular things within their society.
 
One of the knocks is that Christians don’t follow the entire Bible or pick and choose.  No, we follow all the moral law.  Jesus said he came to fulfill the law not to abolish it.  So, the civil punishment for a disobedient child does not hold because that was the prescribed punishment in that society.  But, the moral imperative to honor your mother and father still holds. 
 
We see this when in the book of Acts when the gentiles were added to the Church the question was if they had to follow Jewish Law and traditions.  The answer was no. (Acts 15).  So, the moral law is still obligatory to us as we see in the teachings of Jesus and in the early church epistles. (The epistles are the New Testament books that are letters.  These are the books from Romans to Jude.)
 
So we will see, especially when we eventually get around to Leviticus, that there are moral laws (which are validated in the New Testament), civil laws to provide order in society and secular life, laws regarding hygiene, and symbolic ceremonial laws to set apart Israel from its neighbors.
 

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